BREAKING BAD! Meth cook dad gets family of 11 evicted

A FAMILY of 11 was forced to leave a Flinders View housing commission home after their father was caught running a meth lab.

Trevor John Nowlan, 51, told police his nine children did not know he was addicted to the drug or used their family home to cook.

Ipswich District Court this week heard how police searched the house in May 2016, finding glass tubing, a car battery, heat lamp and other equipment to cook methamphetamine in a 'single step manufacturing approach' along with enough pseudoephedrine to produce more than four grams of the drug.

Nowlan told police he had last used the equipment to make three grams of methamphetamine for himself to use a few days before the raid.

Police also found 0.133g of methamphetamine in the family home.

The family, including Nowlan's wife of 29 years, were asked to leave the government-supported accommodation and had to find somewhere else to live.

In sentencing in Ipswich District Court this week, Judge Dennis Lynch said he did not accept the children were unaware of their father's habits.

"Children are very resourceful, it is difficult to accept they would not have known about your drug addiction," he said.

"You had to move from your housing commission home because you were manufacturing drugs. It is unsurprising you and your family lost the use of the house and you are now in rented accommodation."

One of Nolan's children watched his father's sentencing in court.

"You should walk away from here today thankful for the support of your family," Judge Lynch said.

"It would be easy for a court to decide you should go straight to jail."

Nowlan pleaded guilty to three charges including possessing and producing dangerous drugs.